Knights great Andrew Johns has called for the NRL to defer one-match suspensions for grand finals after the uproar around Nelson Asofa-Solomona‘s ban.
The Melbourne enforcer will miss the grand final after he failed in his appeal to overturn a grade three charge at the judiciary after a high tackle on Lindsay Collins.
Asofa-Solomona has been hit with a five-match ban as a result.
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Johns believes the match review committee and judiciary ruled it incorrectly.
“They got the grading wrong, there’s no way that was grade three,” he said on Wide World of Sports’ Freddy & The Eighth.
Premiership-winner Brad Fittler agreed the grading was incorrect but doesn’t believe Asofa-Solomona deserves to play a grand final.
“I’m happy with the fact he doesn’t play from the point of view of I understand what they go through at the headquarters and what they’re looking for and to be fair,” he said.
“You’ve got to be fair, you can’t just turn up and go right it’s a grand final, the bloke can do whatever he wants the week before. Imagine what’d happen there.”
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Asofa-Solomona now joins a list of players to miss grand finals due to injury, namely his ex-teammate Cameron Smith.
Smith missed the 2008 grand final due to a suspension for a grapple tackle on Sam Thaiday.
Manly went on to win the grand final 40-0.
Roosters legend Luke Ricketson suffered the same fate in 2004 after he was charged with striking Cowboys halfback Nathan Fien.
The Bulldogs won that grand final 16-13.
Johns believes for any short-term suspensions, there should be an exemption made.
“If it’s one week … defer it,” he said.
“You talk to Cameron Smith, he’s still shattered by it. Ricko he was another one, what for? For sticking up for his mate and punching someone? It’s ridiculous.
“For the rest of your life you’ve got to live with not playing in a grand final because you got a one week suspension.
“And have a look at Cameron, they got beaten 40-0 because he wasn’t there.”